16-year-old boy killed in 'revenge' attack in 12-yr land row

BAREILLY: A 16-year-old boy, Suryansh Kumar Singh, was shot dead by two men on bicycles near a petrol pump in the Bhamora area of UP's Bareilly district on Sunday. The incident was a result of a "revenge attack" stemming from an old land dispute between two families dating back to 2011.

The Class 10 student was shot as he was returning home from the market with his elder brother on a bike in Ghilora village in the afternoon.

His brother, Divyansh alias Nitin, who is an eyewitness in the case, somehow managed to save his own life. Suryansh, critically injured, was rushed to the district hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Police said the two brothers had stopped at a petrol pump in Ballia village to refuel the bike when the two accused, Rudra Singh and his cousin Neeraj, both on bicycles, intercepted them and opened fire. Suryansh was shot in the chest, according to the police.

Nitin, 18, said, "My uncle Rajveer Singh and one Veerpal Singh had a property dispute, and both of them, along with Veerpal's father-in-law, were killed in 2011. The matter went to court, and the two families had agreed to compromise in the case. We never thought that they still harboured a grudge against us."

Additional superintendent of police (rural) Mukesh Chandra Mishra told TOI: "Both the parties belong to the same community and live in the same village. We are in the process of registering an FIR, and strict action will be taken against the accused. We have deployed force in the village to ensure law and order is maintained." Circle officer Rajkumar Mishra added that some suspects have been detained.

On May 7, 2011, three people were killed in the village during a "crossfire over a land-related dispute." Suryansh's uncle was one of those killed. in the incidentThe other two were family members of Suryansh's killers. Suryansh, whose father Omveer Singh is a large-scale farmer, used to study at a private inter-college and assist his father in farm-related work.